Body and underframe structure for mine cars



sony AND UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE RoR. MINE: CARS Filed .July 25. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet. 1

Il [P llml llllllslllf |||||ll| |I|| f ATTORNEYS Nov. 11, 1958 H. F. FLOWERS BODY AND UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE FOR MINE CARS Filed July 25. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR 72%72 Tyr-'Zowef's BY hmm/v,

ATTORNEYS Nov. l1, 1958 H. F. FLOWERS 2,859,709

BODY AND UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE FOR MINE CARS Filed July 25. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR M, @a ,2m ffm ATTORNEYS Nov. l1, 1958 H. F. FLOWERS BODY AND UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE FOR MINE CARS Filed July 25. 1951 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 NNL IN VENTOR NHT ww MAAN .NMHIILMmlI 7 ATTORNEYS' United States BODY AND UNDERFRAME STRUCTURE FOR MINE CARS Henry Fort Flowers, Findlay, Ghio Application July 25, 1951, Serial No. 239,826

1 Claim. (Cl. 10S-364) The invention relates to new and useful improvements in a rail car for carrying oreor the like, and more particularly to improvements in the body and underframe structure therefor.

An object of the invention is to provide a body for rail cars which is fabricated from steel plates of relatively light weight, solely by welding so as to provide a body that has a smooth interior free from projecting parts which can cause ore to stick and which act as starting points for corrosion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a car body of the above type wherein the ends are of double plate construction fabricated from a single smooth inside plate, flanged outside plates and reenforcng webs all `welded into an end wall unit which in turn is welded to the side plates of the body for maximum eilciency in transferring load from the side plate girders to the underframe y of the car body.

Another object of the invention is to provide a car body of the above type having vertical smooth sides with a reenforeing angle section at the top edge of the sides to add strength and rigidity to the sides, said angle section beingwelded tothe inner face of the side wall and shaped so as to permit the material to flow out of an inverted car with less tendency to stick along the sides of the car.

These and further objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention:

Figure l is a lside elevation of a rail car embodying the improved body and underframe structure;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the ear;

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3, 3 of Figure l;

Figure 4 Vis a sectional view on theline 4, 4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 6, showing a portion of the center sill at one.

end of the car and showing in particular the structural features added thereto for supporting the draft gear and taking up the `shocks incident thereto;

Figure Y 6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the portion of the center sill illustrated on the line 6-6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an end view of the center sill construction as shown in Figures 5 and 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view -on the line 8, 8 of Figure 6;

Figure 9 is a sectional View on the line 9, 9 of Figure 6 and Figure 10 is a sectional view on the line 10, 10 of Figure 6.

The invention has to do with a rail car for carrying ore and the like and more particularly to the body and underframe structure therefor. The body of the car is indicatedat 1 in Figure 1 of the drawings and the underice . frame structure at 2. The car body and the underfaceH structure are mounted on conventional railway trucks indicated at 3, 3.

The body consists of a iloor plate 4 which is preferably formed of a single plate of relatively light sheet steel. Extending upwardly from the sides lof the oor plate 4 are side plates 5, 5 which are likewise of relatively'.

light weight and are welded all along the sides to the floor plate by a welding. The ends of the body each" includes a single piece smooth steel plate 7, a rear lower anged plate 8 and an upper flanged plate 9. This plate 9 is shaped so as to provide a vertical portion and the flange thereof indicated at 10 abuts against the inner plater 7 and is welded thereto. This upper vertical plate 9 is also welded to the upper end of the inner plate. The lower outer plate 8 is flanged at 11 and the flange abuts against the outer face of the inner plate 7 and is welded thereto. There is also a web 12 extending from the inner plate 7 to the outer plate 8 and there is an inserted plate 13 which is welded to the plate 9 and likewise to the plate 8 so as to lie in a plane common to these plates. This forms the end double wall unit.

are welded to the side plates. This makes a very rigid `structure which is needed in railroad ore service to withstand end forces due to inertia of the load incurred when coupling, accelerating, and braking. A gusset bar 14 is preferably welded onto the oor plate 4 and also to the inner plate 7 and extends across the end of the body. This gives an added reenforcement to the connection between the lower end of the plate 7 and the floor plate 4. It also helps to prevent material from sticking in th corner between this end plate and iloor plate.

There is a gusset bar 15 similar to the bar 14 which extends along *each side wall and is welded to a side plate and also to the floor plate. This not only reenforces the connection between the side wall and the floor plate but it also prevents the ore from sticking in the corner where these plates are joined. p

At the upper edge portion of each side plate is a reenforcement angle member 16. ThisV angle member is L-shaped and the upper leg 17 is shorter than the lower leg 18. This reenforcing member is welded at the ends of the legs to the inner face of the side plate and extends from one end thereof to the other. The long leg of the reenforcement angle extends downwardly in an inclined direction relative to the side wall and this facilitates the flow of the material from the car when inverted in a rotary dumper. This side reenforcing angle 16 strengthen-s the top edge of the side and thus adds the strength needed to prevent the top edges from bowing in or out. Y his@ At intervals along the side walls 5 are tapered posts 19 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 3). These side posts are preferably pressed from plates into U-shape and are of gradually decreasing cross sectional area from the lower end to the upper end thereof. As shown in the drawings, there are four of these side posts. They are welded to the floor plate 4 and are welded along their vertical edges to the side plates and at their top edges to theV angle plate 16. The yside posts being of box-like construction and tapered gradually upward to the top of the car helps increase the strength of the side walls of the car body and their connections to the floor plate and prevent damage from shifting of the load.

From the description above given it will be'noted that the car body carrying the load includes the floor plate and all structure thereabove. The under frame for the car body includes the floor plate and the structure therebeneath. This under frame structure includes a center sill which extends from one end of the car to the other. The

Both the plate 7 and plates constituting the outer wall of the end structurev l s. side center. sillincludes side. plates. of relatively heavier. weight. They are indicated at 20, 20. These plates are spaced from each other and they arewelded to the floor plate at their-upper edges; so that the. floor plate is really the top; plate. of thecentersill.. A bottom plate21 is1weldedto the vertical plates 20, 20, and extends lengthwise of the center sillhut terminates short of the ends of the sill where the. draft'structure is. mounted.

In ordergtoreenforce the center sill plates 20, 20, angesi22, 22.are welded to the lower edges of the plates and also for apart of their. length to the bottom plate 2l. There are-.bolsters 23, 23 extending laterally from the opposite sides. of the sills in the region of the trucks. These bolsters.` extend all the way to the sides of the floor plate 4. Welded tothe bottom plate 21 and also the reenforcing angesZZ is a body center plate 24 which fits into the standard truck` bolster center plate on the standard railroad truck 3. There are, of course, bolsters associated with. each truck and a body plate 24y which is supported byeach truck.

T'he bolster 23 is made up of web side plates 25, 25 at each side thereof, and a bottom plate 26. The plates 25, 25 are spaced from each other and the bottom plate 26 is welded to these plates. The plates at their upper edges are weldedV to the floor plate 4. These plates 25, 25 are also welded to the plates 20 and to the flanges 22. Thebolsters are of box section and are gradually of decreasing cross section to the outer end where the bottom plate 26 is welded to the floor plate 4.

Intermediate the ends Vof each bolster is placed a body sidev hearing 27 which is made up of a bearing plate 28 and a body side bearing filler 29. This bearing plate 28 and the liller 29 are welded to the underside of the plate 26. There are webs 30, 3l) which extend 'from the plate 26 to thev floor plate vertically over this body side plate 28. Webs 30, 30 are not only welded to the lloor plate, but they extend across the bolster from one side thereof to the other and are welded to the web side plates 25. These -body side'bearings 27 prevent buckling or crushing under a concentrated side bearing load.

In order to support the floor plate 4 in' addition to the bolsters 3 are double web crossbearers 31 (see Fig. l). There are three of these -crossbearers -disposed beneath thefloor plate between the trucks and at each side of the center beam. Each cross bearer includes web plates 32, 32 which are vertical and spaced from each other. These plates are welded to the center sill at their inner ends and along their upper edges to the oor plate. There is a bottom cover plate 33 which is welded to the bottom edges .of the webs. This makes up a box section and dethere are also single web crossbearers which include a.

web plate 35 which is welded to the center sill and to the 'bottom plate and extending laterally from this web plate 35 is a bottom plate which is welded. thereto. These single web crossbearers are also tapered from the sill to the outer Vedge of the floor plate. These crossbearers make a very strong supporting structure for the floor plate.

In Figures and 6 is illustrated an all welded draft structure suitable for an ore car. The structure is especially designed to withstand the loading incident to service in long heavy trains towhich is added severe draft shocks incurred in couplingl cars at the loading, classifying and dumping stations. This draft structure is designed totake any standard railroad coupler, yoke and friction draft gear. The center sill side plates 20, 2l) extend from one end of the car to the other. The flanges 22, 22 are welded to the center sill plates 2l), 20 and extend from a position` over the truck to the forward end of the car body. The center sill bottom plate 21 terminates short of the end of theY center sill in order to provide room for the draft gearof the-car.

There is a center sill bulk head 36. There is a king pin hole 37 through thecenter plate. 24'and also a king .4 pin hole 3.3 through the lbottom plate 21. This bulk head 36 is so placed as to give ample clearance for the standard railroad car king pin (not shown). Extending along the inner faces of the center sill plates 20, 20 are gussets 39, 39. There are three of these gussets. The bulk head 36 is welded to the oor plate and also to the bottom plate 21 as shown in Figure 6. At the ends of the gusset plates 39 are stop plates 40, 40. These are welded to the gussets and also to the side plates 20'and the lioor plate. The bottom plate terminates at the stop plates and is welded thereto. The. three gusset plates 39. and the bottom cover plate 21 terminate at the rear draft stop plates 40 and provide a strong integral rear'draftstop structure. The bulk head top gusset and stop plates 40 are also welded to the oor plate and this further strengthens the rear draft stop structure.

The front draft stop is built up by welding steel bars to the center sill plates 20, 20. The front draft stop plates 41 are welded to the center sill plates 20, 20 and to the end of the lloor plate 4. There are two front draft gusset plates 42, 42 and a draft key slotted gusset plate 43. These gusset plates are welded to the side plates of the center sill and are alsowelded to the draft stop plates 4l. There are two of these stop plates 41, one at each side of the sill and also gussets at. each side of the sill for backing up each side of the stop plate. This makes a very strong support for the front draft stop plates. The center sill side plates 20, 29 and the center sill anges 22. 22 extend to the very end of the car body. An end striker plate 44 is welded onto the ends of the center sill plates and also the llanges. This end striker plate 44 has a central coupling opening 45 in which the shank of a standard railroad car coupler is introduced. Above the coupler shank opening is a striker bar 46 which is welded to the outer face of the striker plate 44. The striker back-up plate 47 extends from the front. draft stop plates 4i. This isa heavy plate and serves the important function of transmitting the forces against the striker bar 46 to the center sill side plates 20, 20 and to the floor plate 4.

The coupler shank (not shown) rests on a standard removable coupler wear plate 48'which is usually a steel forging. This wear plate 48 rests on a coupler support plate 49 which in turn is supported and welded to the end striker plate 44 and an auxiliary coupler supporting plate 50.

An important feature of this all welded center sill and structure is its simplicity and the accessibility of the welds both in assembly and repair. It may be noted that in repairing welds on the rear draft stop gusset plates 39 it may be desirable to cut out a section of the oor plate 4, after which the section of the floor plate may be welded back in place.

From the above it will be noted that a body construction for a mine rail car has been provided which is fabricated from sheet steel plates of relatively light weight solely by welding soas toprovide a smooth body which has asmooth interior free from projecting parts which can cause ore to stick and which projecting parts, if present, act as starting pointsv for corrosion. lt will be further noted that a car body underframe structure has been provided which is likewisemade from steel plates solely by welding wherein the oor plate is strengthened by a center sill, by bolsters extending laterally of the center sill and also by cross bearers likewise extending laterally from the center sill at intervals along the length thereof.V It will be further noted that an underfrarne structure has been provided with an all welded center sill and with strikers and draft attachments of welded design in which a major part of the coupling and draft gear bufling shocks are transmitted directly to the center sill and oor plate.

It is obvious that many changes in the details of construction may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as set forth in the appended claim.

I claim:

A rail mine car body and underframe structure comprising a substantially horizontal sheet metal oor plate having a smooth unbroken surface extending from end to end and side to side of said body, sheet metal side plates extending the full length of the iloor plate and welded to said lloor plate at each side edge thereof, sheet metal end plates welded to the iloor plate and the side plates and a `center sill including spaced side plates disposed below and extending longitudinally of the oor plate from end to end thereof, said plates being welded at their upper edges to the oor plate, a bottom plate joining the side plates of said center sill, holsters disposed below and extending transversely of the floor plate from side to side thereof, each bolster including spaced plates welded at their upper edges to said oor plate and at their inner ends to the adjacent plate of the center sill and a bottom plate joining the spaced bolster plates and welded thereto.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Manning Oct. 3, Blest Oct. 13, Albrecht Mar. l1, Burner Jan. 27, Veth Nov. 17, Miller Nov. 24, Christiansen et al. July 7, Flowers Dec. 8, Glaenzer et al. Apr. 6, Simonson Oct. 5, Comee et al Ian. 17, Lunger et al. July 29, Kepner June 16, Dendler et al. Ian. 23, Eksergian Dec. 13, Ramsay Sept. 4, 

